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Y is badboy left out? I just bought one it's built better than mowers 1000 more expensive? Just don't. Get it

Never used one but they look well built.
Which model uses the cat diesel, and i presume that engine has bags of power.

I had a small budget and it was the best value for the money just wondering why the other guys don't like them it has a welded deck 27 hp and 54" twin hydro pumps and it's fast the other guys had stamped decks

I agree with you.
I think it is one of the best buys

Carscw said:

I agree with you.
I think it is one of the best buys

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What he said!

I only have 3.5 hrs so far I'll keep posted how it holds up why no listing for badboy in brands section?

I like mine. I would like to see it listed in the Equipment by Brand area.

Seems like a solid mower. Problem is that it is still a relatively new brand so the test of time is out there. After about 5-10 years is when it starts getting props for lasting.

No one knows if the quality control is there until later personally I would give them a try I've seen a few companys start to use them around here. I have looked and they look solid well built and thought out

exotion said:

Seems like a solid mower. Problem is that it is still a relatively new brand so the test of time is out there. After about 5-10 years is when it starts getting props for lasting. No one knows if the quality control is there until later personally I would give them a try I've seen a few companys start to use them around here. I have looked and they look solid well built and thought out

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We going to look at them this week.

ken helton said:

Y is badboy left out? I just bought one it's built better than mowers 1000 more expensive? Just don't. Get it

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What model Bad Boy do you have??? IMHO, the ZT Elite series sold at TSC as well as the MZ series(their Residential models) don't have the build quality that the Outlaw and up Commercial Bad Boy models have. TSC has many that need repairs when delivered before they can even sell them(which indicates a weakness in Bad Boy's quality control). But I did look at the 2012 Outlaw at a dealer when I was shopping ZTR's and they are built like a tank. The dealer only had the Briggs Commercial engine on the ones he had in stock and I would have preferred the Kohler. Actually, the CZT and Outlaw Extreme offered Kawasaki engine options but in 2012 the Outlaw didn't. I think the Outlaw series is a major contender with any entry-level Commercial ZTR. Another negative...the dealer did not have a ROPS on the Outlaw, even though the Bad Boy literature shows one and he wanted to charge me extra for installing a ROPS. That TEK5 deck(5 gauge...yeah, 1/4" thick) is impressive to say the least. Give us some honest feedback as you use yours more and maybe the Administrators will decide to put a brand forum thread for the Bad Boy. I must say that when I was looking at them this and other lawn equipment forums had "mixed" user reviews(they either loved them or hated them). And there doesn't seem to be a "lot" of BB owners posting but time will tell.

I have the magnum mZ with the 27 hp Koehler so far so good the deck sold me I was down to a cub cadet 2999 a hustler raptor 2799 and a jd from lowes 3199 I saw the badboy and decided the extra price was worth it I'll see how it holds up soon it has one of the highest hp engines for the size

ken helton said:

I have the magnum mZ with the 27 hp Koehler so far so good the deck sold me I was down to a cub cadet 2999 a hustler raptor 2799 and a jd from lowes 3199 I saw the badboy and decided the extra price was worth it I'll see how it holds up soon it has one of the highest hp engines for the size

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We are VERY interested in you keeping us posted on your Bad Boy. Hope my "first impression" opinion of the MZ series didn't offend you. The ZT series(now called the ZT Elite, I believe) have a history of problems but I'm not overly concerned with my first impression of the Magnum MZ. When I was looking, I was adamant that I was going to get a "Commercial quality" ZTR and the MZ just didn't fill the bill. I cannot say they aren't a better machine than the base ZT series. The MZ may very well be a very good choice for a Residential ZTR. Some feedback from you would benefit all forum users and help us all with some first-hand owner reviews. The more Bad Boy owners that can post increases the likliehood of a dedicated Bad Boy forum thread.

No offended I had a 3000 budget yeah I went over! Who hasn't is it a commercial hustler or toro heck no but the deck looks strong it's not a huge mower. I do have negitives too no armrest do you need them? Dunno. non floating deck? Still deciding. I don't think the sandpaper flooring will last long I think the raised holes like husky and jd are better I'm a auto tech not a landscaper so hopefully I can get lots of yrs out of it I will continue to post it's still a new model and new to me also if my grass will grow I can put it to the test

ken helton said:

No offended I had a 3000 budget yeah I went over! Who hasn't is it a commercial hustler or toro heck no but the deck looks strong it's not a huge mower. I do have negitives too no armrest do you need them? Dunno. non floating deck? Still deciding. I don't think the sandpaper flooring will last long I think the raised holes like husky and jd are better I'm a auto tech not a landscaper so hopefully I can get lots of yrs out of it I will continue to post it's still a new model and new to me also if my grass will grow I can put it to the test

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Do you have the 42" deck or 48" deck? Is that 27hp Kohler the EFI series or the Command series? The Kohler EFI was an option on my Gravely and I have heard good things about them(especially their stinginess burning gas...with the price of gas nowadays, that's a plus:0) Mine was a floor display model and had the Kawasaki which I am quite pleased with(the gas consumption is "reasonably less" compared to my other lawn tractors).

54" deck and the kolhler is the 7000 series

We'll I have 5,5 hrs so far and I'm ready for 1 st oil change are you guys going straight to synthetic or using conventional oil for a certain amount of hours I'm gonna use. Mobil 1 but I know they recommend 100000 miles in a car before adding it suggestions please!

When I first saw the Bad Boy mowers at TSC two years ago, I thought that they were the most substantially constructed mowers that I had ever seen. And, I still do. I started looking at the ZTRs about 3 years ago when my 10 year old MTD lawn tractor begin to break down almost weekly. I've looked at most of the ZTR mowers from small residential machines under $3000 to bottom line commercial units at $7000. I only need the mower for about a 2 acres area around my house. I 'll use a tractor and shredder for anything larger. I somewhat narrowed my choices to 3 mowers - the Bad Boy 54" (residential) , Toro MX5060, and the Kubota Commander 48". However, all the mixed reviews on the Bad Boy turned me away from them. The Kubota looked like a nice machine and the Toro looked less substantial that any of the three. However, I ended up with the Gravely Pro-Turn 52 which was not one of the 3. I've only had the mower 2 weeks, but so far it has performed great - also very fast for a lawnmower . But, I still think that the if the Bad Boy mowers perform as well as their surface appearance presents itself, there would be no better mower on the market for the money.

ken helton said:

We'll I have 5,5 hrs so far and I'm ready for 1 st oil change are you guys going straight to synthetic or using conventional oil for a certain amount of hours I'm gonna use. Mobil 1 but I know they recommend 100000 miles in a car before adding it suggestions please!

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I won't get into the conventional versus synthetic oil debate:0)
There have been several(some rather heated) threads defending the use of one or the other. IMHO(which is shared by a few other users) synthetic is a waste of money when the manufacturer recommends conventional SAE30 over the use of synthetic(even though they state that it CAN be used) in almost all of the engine brands. In a car/truck is one thing but in a 4-Cycle small engine I simply use Briggs & Stratton SAE30 which is readily available for $7/bottle-48 ozs. and protects the engine fine. My Gravely dealer assured me that using the B & S oil would keep my Kawasaki engine warranty intact. And even if I used synthetic, I would still change my oil every 50 hours and filter every 100 hours regardless. I've gotten 17 years on a lawn tractor with the B & S oil and the engine still ran like new and didn't use a drop of oil between changes when the tractor frame fell apart from age. That convinced me it would be fine for my new Kawasaki commercial engine. If you search the forum for synthetic oil, you will find several threads....one of which I'm sure a user there can answer your questions about changing your ZTR to use synthetic.

ken helton said:

We'll I have 5,5 hrs so far and I'm ready for 1 st oil change are you guys going straight to synthetic or using conventional oil for a certain amount of hours I'm gonna use. Mobil 1 but I know they recommend 100000 miles in a car before adding it suggestions please!

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I have the outlaw 61" deck with a 30 hp Kohler, used day in day out. I put 450 hrs on this machine last season. We use Rotella t5 semi blend 10w30 and change every 100 hrs with no consumption. We used John Deere zeros for years but bad local service with high price did me in. I now own Hustler and Bad Boy an will soon be an all Bad Boy fleet.

This is just an observation but it seems like Bad Boy is seen by the rest of the mower industry as the red headed stepchild. Whether it is the fact they are new to the game, their flashy marketing, or plain jealousy it seems they don't get a fair shake. I almost got a leftover 2013 czt 60" but amazingly the local dealer was closed on a Saturday morning (why??) and that's when I found my Dixon online.

Heus said:

This is just an observation but it seems like Bad Boy is seen by the rest of the mower industry as the red headed stepchild. Whether it is the fact they are new to the game, their flashy marketing, or plain jealousy it seems they don't get a fair shake. I almost got a leftover 2013 czt 60" but amazingly the local dealer was closed on a Saturday morning (why??) and that's when I found my Dixon online.

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When I shopped ZTR's in the late summer, early fall of 2012 all of the owner reviews I read on several forums had "mixed" performance reviews. Either the owners loved them or they hated them. I read several where the cut was not very good no matter what they tried adjusting the deck, etc. Overall, I was very impressed with the build of the Outlaw but got a better deal on my Gravely. The decks not being chain hung was a turnoff for me and may contribute to inconsistent cuts. Plus the dealer wanted $250 extra for a foldable ROPS, when all of the literature showed the Outlaw with a ROPS as standard. That was a deal breaker.

I still haven't decided about the non chain deck so far it cuts well but it will scalp if not on level ground so I raised the deck to #3 setting probally low for most people but it quit scalping I want stripes though and I'm not getting them build quality seems good I went from a john deere lawn tractor to a zero turn still adjusting like the much much faster cut I think I'm gonna really enjoy it

ken helton said:

I still haven't decided about the non chain deck so far it cuts well but it will scalp if not on level ground so I raised the deck to #3 setting probally low for most people but it quit scalping I want stripes though and I'm not getting them build quality seems good I went from a john deere lawn tractor to a zero turn still adjusting like the much much faster cut I think I'm gonna really enjoy it

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For obtaining some stripes(without a kit) you may want to try "heeling your deck". That term describes adjusting the deck so that the blades are lower at the back instead of the front. Your manual should have instructions for leveling the deck and almost all will tell you to position the blades where the outside blade tips are East/West(facing the sides of the deck). Then you adjust the deck where the outer blade tips are exactly the same height. Then you turn the blades where they are facing North/South(facing the front and rear of the deck). Then most instructions will tell you to adjust the deck until the front blade tips are approx. 1/4" LOWER than the rear blade tips. Heeling the deck is just the opposite on the last adjustment. Instead, you set the front blade tip to be approx. 1/4" HIGHER than the rear. This should give you a "mild" striping effect from the trailing edge of the blade cutting the grass rather than the front edge. This setting does require a little more power from the engine for cutting the grass than the normal setting, but your engine should have plenty of power. Aside from that, you would need to install a Bad Boy striping kit(I think theirs attaches to the rear of the ZTR engine compartment. Some kits are a rubber flap that attaches across the rear edge of the deck and some are rollers, etc. that attach at the back of the ZTR. The one for my Gravely attaches to the rear of the frame under the engine compartment and is a hex shaped roller. I would try heeling the deck first and see if you like that cut before spending money on a kit.

It appears to be lower in the rear now maybye I just need to let grass grow haha

ken helton said:

It appears to be lower in the rear now maybye I just need to let grass grow haha

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Grass will stripe easier if its a little longer. More foliage to push over

If you want some baseball field looking stripes drag chain link fence behind your mower.

If I keep hitting it that might be an option

ken helton said:

If I keep hitting it that might be an option

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Haha your doing it wrong if...... just playing

Can I use a rubber strip. On the rear of the deck to stripe? I really don't want to spend the dollars for a kit I just want stripes! I have a Kevlar strip from a keelguard ; came off my boat should be durable. Any help would be great!

ken helton said:

Can I use a rubber strip. On the rear of the deck to stripe? I really don't want to spend the dollars for a kit I just want stripes! I have a Kevlar strip from a keelguard ; came off my boat should be durable. Any help would be great!

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That would work real good. Just don't make it hang down to much so you can still back up without it going under the deck

ken helton said:

Can I use a rubber strip. On the rear of the deck to stripe? I really don't want to spend the dollars for a kit I just want stripes! I have a Kevlar strip from a keelguard ; came off my boat should be durable. Any help would be great!

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How thick is that Kevlar strip? And how wide(not the length across the deck but the height of the strip when attached)? Like user Carscw pointed out, it should only extend 2"-3" below the bottom edge of the deck. I don't know of any way to attach it other than removing the deck, drilling some holes across the back of the deck, drilling matching holes across the strip then fasten it with bolts & nuts(inserted from inside the deck as not to interfere with the blades). It would probably also be a good idea to fasten it with a 1/2" to 1" flat metal strip all the way across the outside of the deck to keep it from tearing loose at the bolts. NOT going to be a real easy job and will require you to remove the deck. But......it could be done. If it were me I would check on an OEM striper kit before trying a homemade one. You may find that it isn't very expensive and it will be a much easier installation.

Here's a pic of prototype

ken helton said:

<img src="http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/attachments/mower-equipment-buying-pricing/20575-badboy-image-2799311052-jpg"/> Here's a pic of prototype

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Did you have to drill holes in your deck?

Yes I had to drill I'm currently making another ill post pics soon it will work better

ken helton said:

Yes I had to drill I'm currently making another ill post pics soon it will work better

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Just my 2 cents worth....I'd still recommend a flat, 1" wide metal strip with holes drilled through it or at least some large washers between the bolt and Kevlar strip. That way it will be unlikely to crack around where the bolt goes through the Kevlar strip and start coming off.

I used part of a mat for a truck bed ( mudflap) I also added a 1 in strip wit 7 bolts with washers and lock nuts have it too long and it makes. It hard to back up also I'm gonna shorten it by 1 inch I have a whole mat to experiment with .

ken helton said:

I used part of a mat for a truck bed ( mudflap) I also added a 1 in strip wit 7 bolts with washers and lock nuts have it too long and it makes. It hard to back up also I'm gonna shorten it by 1 inch I have a whole mat to experiment with .

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Sounds like your ingenuity paid off with a decent striper kit with a small dollar investment!!! Good job!!!! Post some more pics after you get it refined.

Back to Bad Boy...when I was looking I researched Bad Boy....unfortunately the Kubota dealer had BB and didn't really have his heart into moving them.I was interested in one with a Kawa engine and they simply stated they get them in sometime,never offered to special order,etc.This and their edgy commercials sorta turned me off,I did like their robust build quality.....I guess being a relative newcomer to the market has its disadvantages.If the dealer had worked with me I would have bitten!In my next life I will have a good friend who does lawns and can sell me his handmedowns.

Got some stripes and new employee I gotta remove the strip 1 more tme it's still a little to long

Appreciate your pics,sounds like the BB is a winner.I hope your paying that new employee good wages.:laughing:

ken helton said:

Got some stripes and new employee I gotta remove the strip 1 more tme it's still a little to long

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Am I the only one who can't see the stripes ?

Arnezie said:

Am I the only one who can't see the stripes ?

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They are not very pronounced and I don't really see them either, but striping may take a couple of mowings to really show up. I would be curious as to what user ken helton set the deck height at(the grass looks cut pretty short). Stripes will be more pronounced if you cut the grass at 2"-4". Anything shorter than that won't have enough height in the remaining grass blades to "bend them" very well.

Yea they are kinda weak but we have had some rain lately so I'll see what happens maybye I'll raise the deck up some thanks for advice

ken helton said:

Y is badboy left out? I just bought one it's built better than mowers 1000 more expensive? Just don't. Get it

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I too am interested in the Bad Boy. If my Kubota TG1860 ever goes south on me the B.B. is high on my list.

Almost 500 hours on mine and it's still running strong. General maintenance is primarily the only thing I've had to do. I've had one spindle go out on me at 420 hours but that is fairly common with the maintenance free options on most mowers. I also had to replace a couple bearings on the forks but nothing major. They are great mowers. Their biggest issues is dealer support. I purchased mine (60" Lightning) directly from the factory and had it shipped to my house. I've been running it since late 2008. They are definitely built like a tank. They don't have all the bells and whistles as some but they get the job done and when set up correctly will cut and stripe with the best of them. Definitely worth looking at if you are in the market for a Z. Here is one of my posts from lawnsite a few years back showing my striping roller build and also the cut pics. You will need to go a couple pages deep to find them but this should give you an idea of what they will do. http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?t=265997

I have an early model (2005) AOS with a 72" deck. I purchased 3 used from a local commercial mowing company and then resold 2 of them. The one I kept had 1300 hours on it. It now has approximately 1800. I mow 5 acres. The cut quality stinks. I often have to go over it twice. I've tried a variety of blades. I find the meg-mow blades to work the best, but they are a pain to sharpen. The non floating deck scalps on nearly any small bump that a rear wheel dips into. It tends to eat deck drive belts. Parts are hard to get. Part numbers are hard to find as their online PDFs don't show my year and the newer models are different. A neighbor bought one from me and he has the same complaints. That all said, it is very fast to mow. If the grass is short and can be cut properly without going back over it, it works great. Mine has a 31 h.p. Vanguard which has plenty of power to swing the 72" deck. The blade speed is good. The mower deck is well built, but doesn't cut well. I think the heavy weight of this mower also contributes to the cut quality. The wheels leave a heavy imprint due to excessive weight which causes the grass to mat down where the wheels travel. I'm ready for a different mower.

Well, that's not too encouraging. :frown:

rvtech said:

I have an early model (2005) AOS with a 72" deck. I purchased 3 used from a local commercial mowing company and then resold 2 of them. The one I kept had 1300 hours on it. It now has approximately 1800. I mow 5 acres. The cut quality stinks. I often have to go over it twice. I've tried a variety of blades. I find the meg-mow blades to work the best, but they are a pain to sharpen. The non floating deck scalps on nearly any small bump that a rear wheel dips into. It tends to eat deck drive belts. Parts are hard to get. Part numbers are hard to find as their online PDFs don't show my year and the newer models are different. A neighbor bought one from me and he has the same complaints. That all said, it is very fast to mow. If the grass is short and can be cut properly without going back over it, it works great. Mine has a 31 h.p. Vanguard which has plenty of power to swing the 72" deck. The blade speed is good. The mower deck is well built, but doesn't cut well. I think the heavy weight of this mower also contributes to the cut quality. The wheels leave a heavy imprint due to excessive weight which causes the grass to mat down where the wheels travel. I'm ready for a different mower.

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I've heard similar complaints on the older models. I believe they also redesigned the deck with mine? Not positive but I think so. I do know they revised it further going from mine to the brand new models. Mine actually has a floating deck using adjustable arms in front and it's hung from chains on back. 72" decks have a tendency to scalp anyway due to the size. If you cut short and hit any unevenness you will more than likely end up in that situation. As for blades, give the Oregon G6's a shot. I've done extensive testing (I can post another link from Lawnsite) and they by far work best for evenness of cut and disbursement. Also take some time to make sure your deck is level (side to side) and pitched 1/8-1/4" down in front. This will aid in suction and also cut quality. Sorry to hear of the issues, hopefully these tips may help you out.

Have one place locally that sells Bad Boy. I checked them out last week shopping for my ZTR. They do look very stout and well built, BUT, it was about $1000 more for one similar in specs to the Hustler Raptor SD54 I was comparing it to. I could not justify the $1000. The RSD is every bit as beefy and stout looking.

dwost said:

I've heard similar complaints on the older models. I believe they also redesigned the deck with mine? Not positive but I think so. I do know they revised it further going from mine to the brand new models. Mine actually has a floating deck using adjustable arms in front and it's hung from chains on back. 72" decks have a tendency to scalp anyway due to the size. If you cut short and hit any unevenness you will more than likely end up in that situation. As for blades, give the Oregon G6's a shot. I've done extensive testing (I can post another link from Lawnsite) and they by far work best for evenness of cut and disbursement. Also take some time to make sure your deck is level (side to side) and pitched 1/8-1/4" down in front. This will aid in suction and also cut quality. Sorry to hear of the issues, hopefully these tips may help you out.

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I took a look at the pics in your link....VERY NICE machine you have in that Lightning Z and a nice striper kit(and professional striping cut)!!!! Unfortunately they no longer make your model and I think it evolved into the Outlaw XP. I considered the Outlaw, but all of the reviews at that time(Fall of 2012) were mixed(some had your experience and cut results and others were like user rvtech...hated the cut). With such "mixed" reviews I found it difficult to take a chance that I would get one of the "good ones".

Hey giys I have a few hrs on the badboy ! It's great but I did remove the homemade stripper it just didn't work the kholerbis a beast the mower construction is very stout ya know it will cut like carpet since I can't get the stripes I want I Gus I'll just please it alone

And now you have holes in your deck , might want to primmer those up good.

Wow! Guess I don't need to type after taking a ambient! Spelling sucked . I raked the deck 1/2 inch is that enough to get stripes? I made another stripe strip a different length I'm not giving up just yet

I bought a 2014 CZT 60" with the Koehler Confidant ZT740. I picked her up in May and have ~30 hrs. Previously I had a 50" White Equipment ZT. The 2.7ac I cut used to take ~130 mins. Now I'm at 55 mins. I up graded to an Exmark suspension seat, best money spent since I'm running full out 90% of the time. I've got another 5+ ac that I'll cut once a month and it's around 20" tall. I have to slow down but it get chopped up and spit out w/o an issue.

At 4 hrs I changed the oil and at 15 hrs. I have a long history of small engines and the first 2 oil changes are key to longevity. I switched to a full Syn at 15hrs. Bad Boy added an extension to the oil drain plug so it easy access and drains w/o mess to a pan below. Nice little feature. The Koehler is broken in and feeling stronger. It has enough torque that front wheels are easily lofted when full throttle and full forward is selected quickly. Watch out on inclines since the 11 gals of gas helps move the CG aft.

The electric deck is handy and allows easy adjustment on the fly. 11 gallons of gas allows me me to cut 15+ac without an issue. Due to being somewhat vertically challenged, 5'9", I got tired having my feet flopping around. I picked up a 8" rubber wheel chock from TSC, cut it in half and mounted them on the floorboard. Works great for me, cost under $20 total.



Overall I'm quite pleased with the form and function. Being the Engineer I am I have added some little extras just to avoid future issues. Where wires, cables or lines run and may chafe I added some Teflon spiral wrap or wire harness covering to protect them. The seat catch was not easily accessed so I added a length of Paracord to allow me easy release of the seat. The tilt up floor makes cleaning the top of the deck easy. Actually when compared to my White Equipment, this deck doesn't seem to trap grass and get it compacted and mess things up.

All in all it's a well built powerful ZT that handles great and hauls butt! The suspension seat is well wort the $'s! The value and build is good enough I'd recommend this unit to friends.

Later
Neil S.

I have a 2013 MZ 42" w/ B/S 19hp purchased May 2013. I went with the 42 so it would fit through my fence gates. Mowing just over an acre.

Review:
In retrospect, I wish i had've spent the extra 700 and went with the Kaw. The only reason I say this is that I cannot mow at full speed if its been over a week or so in my thickest parts and damp, but really that's just me being lazy. It really does supply very ample power for residential mowing. Even with only a 540cc - it provides enough torque to bring the front wheels off the ground several inches. YES I know this damages the trans. First ZT - I learned quickly in the dealer parking lot!

Deck DOES scalp if you have a lot of high spots. I've learned my yard pretty well, so I know how to hit them so that the anti scalp wheels hit the high spot, but the first few times I definitely dug. The solid deck does provide the advantage of the fact it is ROCK SOLID. I hit a stump going full throttle mowing and it hung. It did absolutely no damage, as verified by my dealer. Blades were still completely balanced. I've nearly destroyed a Deere floating deck doing something similar before, and it was a much slower mower.

Someone mentioned the sand grit foot rests. I mow once twice a week for a season and a half and it shows no wear. The deck seems to get a high amount of discharge buildup. Ive removed the outfeed shoot on mine as i like it to distribute the clippings further, and that helped some. I usually clean it with a pressure hose every few weeks and spray a good coat of cheap olive oil under. It is a big help. Paint is scratched in places, but to be expected with ad many trees as i have to mow around.

Biggest complaint sounds silly, but NO CUP HOLDER?

I use conventional oil - changing about every 50 hours. A little fast, but oil makes the engine.

I do have one issue where, since new, the mower seems to track to the left when bars are both fully engaged. Maybe someone can give info on this?

About a month ago I had a SEVERE issue. I was mowing for about a half hour when the engine started to sputter and blowing plumes of smoke. I disengaged the blades, sat a minute with the engine at half throttle and it stopped. I continued on, this repeated several times. I thought at first I had over filled the crank case a bit - but it had perfect fill. I looked down to see the block had split at one of the engine mounts.

My dealer came and picked it up and shipped it back to briggs. They inspected the block and found it to be a defect in the cast. Engine was promptly replaced with a brand new Intek 19hp under warranty. This isn't really a bad boy issue, but worth mentioning.

STRIPING:
To get great striping you could go spend tons on a SCAG Tiger Striper... OR build one. I'm sure I'm not the first to do this, but in case youve never seen it done heres one way to build it to use the hitch on a BadBoy (or any pin hitch) without drilling mower.
Materials:
-3-4" piece of PVC schedule 80
-two end caps
-4-6' steel cable
-two grade 8 1/2" bolts, nuts, lock washers
-24"x2"x1/4" flat steel bar
-4 bolts/nuts of any size
-2 large washers
-sand

Drill hole diameter of hitch pin in center of bar. To the left and right, drill two 1/2 holes so that the edge of the hole lines up with the bottom plate of your hitch. Looking from above this would look like o\o/o on most hitches. Put the grade 8's in the outer holes. This will keep the bar from turning when the pin is in. At each end of the bar, drill holes the size of your cable (at least 1/4").
Drill holes the size of the cable 6" from each end of the pipe. Feed the cable through the hole, then through a washer so that the washer is on the inside of the pipe. Tie the end around one of your extra bolts & tighten a nut on it so that the bolt is against the nut is against the inside of the pipe. Do this for each end.
Glue on one end cap, fill the pipe with sand, now glue on the other end. The result is a heavy piece of pipe with a cable sling on it. Pressure from pulling on the cable is against the washer.
Now cut the cable in the center.
Attach bar to mower hitch.
feed the cable through the ends of your bar so that the pipe is dragging the ground with little slack.
Wrap around a bolt and tighten as before. No washer needed as it won't pull through the PVC like the other end can.
now. you have a quick detach striper that will perfectly bend grass.
Mow the same direction for a few mowings to "train" and it will look good as Wrigley.

Hello all,
New to this and shopping for a ZTR and I was leaning toward the BB but after see the NAEDA report and reading the comments here I think I will pass on the BB. I had not considered the Gravely
but I will now.

I am an old East Texas boy and now retired in Florida (Melbourne area) any suggestion appreciated.

Thanks
Audie

Cocoa Audie said:

Hello all,
New to this and shopping for a ZTR and I was leaning toward the BB but after see the NAEDA report and reading the comments here I think I will pass on the BB. I had not considered the Gravely
but I will now.

I am an old East Texas boy and now retired in Florida (Melbourne area) any suggestion appreciated.

Thanks
Audie

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What kind of budget are you looking at and what dealers do you have in your area? How many acres are you mowing? Are there obstacles such as steep hills, ponds, fences with small gates?

Shughes717 said:

What kind of budget are you looking at and what dealers do you have in your area? How many acres are you mowing? Are there obstacles such as steep hills, ponds, fences with small gates?

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Thanks Shughes for your reply,

My budget is modest about 4 to 5 k. I just this minute got back home from visiting a dealer in Palm Bay Florida (Palm Bay Power Equipment ) and I am sure I have made my decision on the Gravely. Thanks to Danny the owner, I know more after a hour visit with him that I have learned in the last 3 months.
My wife and I are building a new home (Builder is starting on lot work now) it is on a 1/2 acre lot and no obstacles or gates as of yet but I will be buying the Pro Turn Model 991201 52". The Dealer will put on a optional suspension seat for me and I think I will have no fear of buyers remorse with this ZTR. The home builder will not finish our home until Christmas or mid Jan 2015 so I will have some time to shop price and learn some tips from this forum about maintenance issues. As soon as the homeowners association is turned over to the owners, I will likely take over care of the common areas and maybe a couple of neighbours yards to help offset a little cost and go from there as I am retired now and a little side job would cover some of my home brew beer cost (whoopee}

Audie

Cocoa Audie said:

Thanks Shughes for your reply, My budget is modest about 4 to 5 k. I just this minute got back home from visiting a dealer in Palm Bay Florida (Palm Bay Power Equipment ) and I am sure I have made my decision on the Gravely. Thanks to Danny the owner, I know more after a hour visit with him that I have learned in the last 3 months. My wife and I are building a new home (Builder is starting on lot work now) it is on a 1/2 acre lot and no obstacles or gates as of yet but I will be buying the Pro Turn Model 991201 52". The Dealer will put on a optional suspension seat for me and I think I will have no fear of buyers remorse with this ZTR. The home builder will not finish our home until Christmas or mid Jan 2015 so I will have some time to shop price and learn some tips from this forum about maintenance issues. As soon as the homeowners association is turned over to the owners, I will likely take over care of the common areas and maybe a couple of neighbours yards to help offset a little cost and go from there as I am retired now and a little side job would cover some of my home brew beer cost (whoopee} Audie

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That's a lot of mower for half a acre.
I would save a couple grand and get a mower made more for your needs.

If I only had a half acre I would just get a push mower or at the most a snapper rer.

Carscw said:

That's a lot of mower for half a acre.
I would save a couple grand and get a mower made more for your needs.

If I only had a half acre I would just get a push mower or at the most a snapper rer.

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You may not have read my entire post.

Cocoa Audie said:

You may not have read my entire post.

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Carscw is very knowledgable about lawn care. He has a lawn care business. He is thinking economical, and he is right that is a lot of mower for your job. However, if you can afford it and you want to mow 3 plus acres in 2 hours or less then you have made a fine choice. You will get a very good mower for 5000 no matter what brand you choose. I only had 1 acre to mow when I purchased my snapper pro s150xt two years ago. I sold my house this winter and purchased one closer to where I'm from and now have 4.2 acres to mow. My wife complained to me that I purchased more mower than I had lawn when I bought it. She isn't complaining now lol. Mowing with a zero turn is also a lot of fun. I hated mowing that 1 acre with my old tractor mower. I have a blast mowing with my zero turn now.

I usually go the way with the overkill but I have a little time yet to decide. There wasn't that much difference in price between the 52 and 48 and I would always question my decision if I went with the smaller stamped deck series and I have to one up my new neighbor's Toro anyway. Hell my motor scooter goes over a 100mph (Burgman 650 Exec). The common area alone would make up the difference and I can always pick up a yard or two more. Who knows, I might get me a Christmas Float and pull up and down the street LOL.

Audie

Cocoa Audie said:

I usually go the way with the overkill but I have a little time yet to decide. There wasn't that much difference in price between the 52 and 48 and I would always question my decision if I went with the smaller stamped deck series and I have to one up my new neighbor's Toro anyway. Hell my motor scooter goes over a 100mph (Burgman 650 Exec). The common area alone would make up the difference and I can always pick up a yard or two more. Who knows, I might get me a Christmas Float and pull up and down the street LOL.

Audie

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Overkill isn't a bad thing if you can afford it. If you have more mower than you do lawn you will get done much quicker, and the mower will last years longer than a regular residential mower. I am a fan of all brand commercial mowers. They are built so much better than residential models.

I looked and played with a BadBoy elite and magnum mowers at the tractor supply this past Sat while I was there getting a pump for my sprayer. The elite it is a descent mower and built pretty good for a residential mower.
26hp Kholer engine is what is had for power, deck was pretty good with flat bar on the bottom like the JD decks are.
warranty was descent had a 2 year on it, but to remove you hand from the control arm to press the toggle switch to raise the deck was not impressive at all.
Magnum decent mower for home as well, just like a mini version of the elite.

Both had little gas tanks which is alright I guess for smaller yards.

What commercial models are you guy buying?

Nwatson99, I believe Cocoa Audie has his mind set on the gravely pro turn 52". I must admit I have never been around gravely mowers, but there are several on here who like them a lot.

Shughes717 said:

Nwatson99, I believe Cocoa Audie has his mind set on the gravely pro turn 52". I must admit I have never been around gravely mowers, but there are several on here who like them a lot.

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Hey Shughes Gravely is a very nice machine and if they had a better set-up for adjusting everything and some features like the Deere has I would be sporting the 460 right now myself.
If Altoz makes a few changes to their machines that will most likely be my next ride in 4 years.

Nwatson99 said:

Hey Shughes Gravely is a very nice machine and if they had a better set-up for adjusting everything and some features like the Deere has I would be sporting the 460 right now myself.
If Altoz makes a few changes to their machines that will most likely be my next ride in 4 years.

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Altos is a very cool looking mower, but it bet the cost is outrageous.

aareedy said:

I do have one issue where, since new, the mower seems to track to the left when bars are both fully engaged. Maybe someone can give info on this?

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This drove me crazy, but it's easy to fix, just make sure you understand what you do.

1. Lift back of the mower so the rear wheels in the air.
2. Remove wires from seat switch and shorten them together so mower does not die if you not on a seat.
3. Start engine, bring arms together and start moving them both forward, keep them at the same level!
4. You will see which wheel engages first.
5. Adjust hydro on opposite wheel. It's a rod with nuts, pretty easy to adjust. Adjust one way, try #3 and see what it did.
6. Keep adjusting until both wheels start turning at about the same time.

Took me 15 minutes, now it runs straight line.

I agree on the deck lift/mounting concerns. The decks are heavy built but mounting is so solid...if you hit anything you will stop immediately. I like to be able to quickly lift the deck with the foot control too. I think they were trying to one-up the competition with the electric lift but technology is not always a good thing.

The uphill battle that any relatively new company faces is concerns about resale value, for those that care. What would sell for more, a used Toro or a Bad Boy?

greeen said:

I agree on the deck lift/mounting concerns. The decks are heavy built but mounting is so solid...if you hit anything you will stop immediately. I like to be able to quickly lift the deck with the foot control too. I think they were trying to one-up the competition with the electric lift but technology is not always a good thing.

The uphill battle that any relatively new company faces is concerns about resale value, for those that care. What would sell for more, a used Toro or a Bad Boy?

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Toro definately its reputation speaks for itself. While bad boy needs to build a reputation

exotion said:

Toro definately its reputation speaks for itself. While bad boy needs to build a reputation

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There are many mower companies out there with a great reputation. Bad boy doesn't have the dealer support yet that some of the other companies do. Similar to the country clipper brand. Look to be great mowers, but there just aren't many dealers.